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Cyclists tour nation's fattest cities

Trio ridfes to bring awareness to childhood obesity

By Elena Ruiz

elruiz@demingheadlight.com @LenaHeadlight on Twitter

Posted:
12/16/2013 04:40:42 PM MST

Elena Ruiz — Headlight Photo
From left are cyclists David Duffy, Jerry Smith and Mike Sode with Gabriella Reyes of Deming. Reyes, who now lives in Las Cruces, rode with the trio on the "Catch On" Bike Tour across America to bring awareness to the dangers of childhood obesity. The trio left Deming on Friday and will visit the 25 fattest city in the country.

At his heaviest, Jerry Smith tipped the scale at a hefty 420 pounds. The 48-old-year pastor for About Face Youth Ministry in Lansing, Mich. spent much of his weighty situation sitting at desk all day and eating.

Smith gave no excuses for gaining the weight and one day decided to do something about it.

On Sept. 2, 2012, Smith and fellow pastor Mike Sode decided to bike to the nation's fattest cities, following a 2012 route published in Men's Fitness Magazine.

The purpose of the trip is to bring attention of the dangers of childhood obesity in America.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 12.5 million youth in the U.S. are clinically obese and another 11 million are overweight. Together, they represent nearly one-in-three children and adolescents in America.

The group has traveled to 22 of the 25 cities on their list. El Paso was the 23rd. They arrived in Deming last Thursday and left for to Arizona border on Friday. Phoenix is the next fattest city.

David Duffy joined the tour after meeting Sode during a testimony he gave at a church bible group in Lansing. Sode suffers from chronic kidney stones and had back surgery that left him with severe disc damage and permanent nerve damage. Sode was told he would never walk without the assistance of a walker or cane.

Sode's message to Duffy was clear that day: Overcome adversity and create hope for those who need it most.

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"I took a leap of faith joining them. They inspired me," Duffy said. "They're ups and downs, but the lowest valley doesn't come close to the highest mountain top."

The men ride to inspire youth to become more active. "Just 45 minutes of exercise a day," Sode explained. "We did pinky promises with the kids at a Las Cruces youth ministry for them to do 45 minutes of exercise a day."

Gabriella Reyes, a Las Cruces resident, met the men at University Church in Las Cruces. Reyes is a Deming High graduate and was so inspired by the trio and their message that she decided to join them on their bike tour to Deming.

"I had never ridden a bike long distance before this," Reyes said. "It was a difficult experience, but I did it."

She got a flat tire one mile before arriving at the Deming off-ramp. Reyes walked her bicycle into town.

"I saw Jerry (Smith) and Mike (Sode) who have overcome so many obstacles and it motivated me to finish. If they can finish, then so could I," a visibly emotional Reyes said.

In Deming, the men joined the River of Life CitiChurch at 1200 E. Pear St., where they were fed and church members made contributions for the trip.

"New Mexico is so beautiful... The mountains are amazing," said Duffy, "It is so different from Michigan."

The men are traveling solely on donations made to them at the cities they ride into. The non-profit organization called "2012CatchOnTour" has a Facebook page to allow fans to follow them on their journey across the U.S.

Persons wishing to contribute to this cause may donate through PayPal at: thejerry0524@gmail.com, or mail a check to: Firstmerit Bank 2285 N. Cedar St. Holt, MI, 48842. Make check out to AFYM.